Shampoo bowl and cape

ABSTRACT

A shampoo bowl is provided for shampooing a person&#39;s hair. The shampoo bowl includes a lower basin. The bottom of the lower basin has a drain toward the rear of the lower basin, a face opening toward the front of the lower basin, and a face cradle gasket surrounding the face-opening. The lower basin is deeper at the rear than at the front of the lower basin, and the front of the lower basin is lower than the rear of the lower basin. A shampooing cape is attachable to the front of the shampoo bowl.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to sinks, and in particular relates to shampoobowls and to shampoo capes.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many different types of shampoo bowls have been devised for shampooing aperson's hair. Typically such bowls have a front wall with a U-shaped,neck-receiving depression so that the neck of the seated person whosehair is being shampooed can recline or lean backward with the person'sneck in the depression and the back of the person's head over the bowlin an unsupported position.

This typical arrangement for shampooing a person's hair is difficult forpersons who are bedridden or in a wheelchair. To assist in shampooingthe hair of bedridden persons, various portable shampoo sinks have beendesigned. For example, the portable shampoo sink of Thies (US PatentApplication Publication No. 2005/0086734) provides a portable wheeledcabinet containing a sink that dispenses hot and cold water from storedwater supplies. The portable shampoo basin of Rupp (U.S. Pat. No.5,263,206) is inserted under the upper back of the patient and has ahead rest located in the drain area. The shampoo bowl of Spencer (U.S.Pat. No. 5,896,595), while still requiring the person to lean backwardover the bowl, has dual support members so that the person's head andupper torso can be supported.

For people confined to a wheelchair, there are a number of patents thatprovide complicated and expensive apparatuses that handle the wheelchairto tip the person backward, including the patents of Willey et al. (U.S.Pat. No. 4,834,411) and McElhinney (U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,703) thatprovide means for reclining a wheelchair occupant so that the head ofthe occupant can be tipped backward over a shampoo bowl.

There is a need, however, for an apparatus that allows shampooing of thehead of a handicapped person without requiring the person's wheelchairto be tipped backward and without requiring the person to move toanother chair so they can lean backward.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowlthat enables a person's hair to be shampooed while the person leansface-down over the shampoo bowl.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowl thatmay be used to shampoo the hair of a person seated in a wheelchair.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowl thatis comfortable to use by the person doing the shampooing and personbeing shampooed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cape for use withthe shampoo bowl of the invention.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowl thatcan be supported by the chiropractic community and that can improve theability of public and commercial facilities to comply with the Americanswith Disabilities Act.

Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from thefollowing disclosure and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein is a bowl for shampooing a person's hair. Theshampoo bowl includes a lower basin. The bottom of the lower basin has adrain toward the rear of the lower basin, a face opening toward thefront of the lower basin, and a face cradle gasket surrounding theface-opening. The lower basin is deeper at the rear than at the front ofthe lower basin, and the front of the lower basin is lower than the rearof the lower basin. A cape is provided for use with the shampoo bowlherein.

Other objects and features of the inventions will be more fully apparentfrom the following disclosure and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of the shampoo bowl of the inventionherein.

FIG. 2 is an upper plan view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1, butwith a central faucet, mounted in a cabinet.

FIG. 6 is an upper plant view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken from FIG. 2.

FIG. 7A is a partial cross-sectional view of the front of the shampoobowl and shampooing cape in use.

FIG. 8 is an expanded cut-away perspective view of the face-opening inthe bottom of the lower basin and the face cradle gasket.

FIG. 9 is a cut-away cross-sectional view of the face-opening and facecradle gasket of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a shampooing cape of the invention herein.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a person bent face down over a shampoobowl of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a person as in FIG. 11, showingthe location of the person's face on the face cradle gasket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

The present invention comprises a shampoo bowl for shampooing a person'shair and preferably a shampooing cape attachable to the shampoo bowl.The invention is particularly useful for persons who are handicapped orwho have other special needs or ailments and are in a wheelchair. Theshampoo bowl of the invention may be used, for example, in beautysalons, hospitals, hospice care, elder care facilities, and privatehomes. The face-down position of the person being shampooed with theshampoo bowl of the invention herein makes it easier for the hairdresserto shampoo the person's head as well as to massage the person's head.With the invention herein, there is significantly less strain on theoperator's back, neck, and shoulders, as for the patron as well.

In summary, the shampoo bowl of the invention herein has a lower basinwith a front, a rear, two sides and a bottom. An integral upper rimpreferably surrounds the entire lower basin at the top of the rear andtwo sides. Faucet means are placed on the upper rim. The bottom of thelower basin has a drain toward the rear of the lower basin, aface-opening toward the front of the lower basin, and a face cradlegasket surrounding the face-opening. Preferably the lower basin isdeeper at the rear than at the front and preferably the top of the frontof the lower basin is lower than the top of the rear of the lower basin.

Referring now to the figures, shampoo bowl 10 may generally be in anyexternal shape as known in the art for shampoo sinks and bowls so longas the shape is compatible with the specific features of the inventionas specified herein. Preferably shampoo bowl 10 is generally rectangularin shape with rounded corners as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A size that hasbeen found to be suitable is 24 inches from front to rear, 18 incheswide and 8 inches deep at the deepest location. While the preferredshape of shampoo bowl 10 is slightly indented at the back (e.g., FIGS.1-2), the shape may vary, for example, the straight back shown in FIG.6. Alternate shapes for shampoo bowl 10, for example, oval, round,irregular or other designed shape may be substituted if desired. Shampoobowl 10 may be made of any material suitable for use as a sink, forexample, marble cast or plastic or fiberglass.

In the embodiment shown herein, generally rectangular shampoo bowl 10has a lower basin 12, which has a bottom 14, and four seamlessly joinedwalls, which are herein called a rear 16, a front 18, and two sides 20,respectively. If shampoo bowl 10 is not rectangular, the wall structurewill of course differ from that shown herein.

The lower basin 12 is deeper at the rear than at the front of the lowerbasin 12, with a drain 40 located toward the rear of the lower basin 12in the deepest area of the lower basin 12 as shown. The height of thesides 20 is greater where the sides 20 join the rear 16 of the lowerbasin 12 than is the height of the sides 20 where the sides 20 join thefront 18 of the lower basin (shown in FIG. 4). The result is that whenwater is placed in shampoo bowl 10, the water is deeper at the rear ofshampoo bowl 10 than at the front of shampoo bowl 10 so that when drain40 is open, the water easily drains out of the drain 40 as known in theart.

The rear 16 and sides 20 of the lower basin 12 are topped by an integralupper rim 22 extending around the top of the sides 20 and rear 16 of thegenerally rectangular bowl 10 as known in the art. Preferably the upperrim 22 is not present at the front of the bowl as shown in FIGS. 1-2 oris reduced in size for ease of placement of the neck of the person beingshampooed. As viewed from the front 18 of the lower basin 12 (FIGS.1-3), the front 18 has a lowered area 23 so that a person leaning overthe lower basin 12 can comfortably place the person's neck in thelowered area and the person's face over a face-opening as discussedbelow.

A particularly important feature of the invention herein is that thebottom 14 of the lower basin 12 has a face-opening 24 surrounded by anelevated edge 26 (FIGS. 1-9). Face cradle gasket 28 as shown in FIGS.1-3 and 5-6 is positioned over elevated edge 26 by placement of groove30 in the lower edge of face cradle gasket 28 over elevated edge 26(FIGS. 8-9). This placement may be made permanent by adhesively fixingface cradle gasket 28 to elevated edge 26, or more preferably, facecradle gasket 28 is removably affixed over elevated edge 26. In eithercase, it is important that the joinder of face cradle gasket 28 toelevated edge 26 be waterproof. Face cradle gasket 28 may be sanitizedbetween uses while it is in place in the shampoo bowl 10, or it may beremoved for sanitization.

Face cradle gasket 28 is preferably made of flexible rubber or rubberyplastic and is preferably made to fit faces in the same manner as divingmasks as known in the art. When used, the face of the person beingshampooed is placed in the central opening 32 of the face cradle gasket28 over the face-opening 24 of the lower basin 12 as the person bendsforward over the shampoo bowl 10. Face cradle gasket 28 is preferablyabout 1½ to 2 inches high at the front of face-opening 24 and about 8-9inches or more at the back of face-opening 24 so that when a person'sface is positioned in the central opening 32, the face cradle gasket 28is above the height of the upper rim 22 at the back of the face cradlegasket 28 and equal in height to the upper rim 22 at the front of theface cradle gasket 28 as shown in FIG. 9.

Face cradle gaskets 28 may be manufactured in different sizes withdifferent sizes of central opening 32. Thus, in a smaller size, thecentral opening 32 fits closely around the nose and mouth area ofsmaller faces for use with children, youth and smaller adults, and inlarger size(s) the central opening 32 fits closely around the nose andmouth area of larger faces for use with adults. Preferably theface-opening 24 and surrounding face cradle gasket 26 are located closerto the front 18 than the rear 16 as shown so that a user can comfortablylean forward face-down over the front 18 with the person's face incentral opening 32.

Faucet means, including for example, a standard faucet/sprayer 34 andsingle use handle 36 as known in the art are placed on the upperintegral rim 22 (FIG. 1). Preferably the faucet means is located at theright rear of the bowl 10 for ease of use by right-handed operators;however, other locations of the faucet means as desired may be usedwithout departing from the invention herein. Plumbing (not shown)beneath the sink to connect to the drain 40 is as known in the art.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention herein, there is a frontlip 42 on the shampoo bowl on which attachment means 44 is positionedfor attachment of a specially designed shampooing cape 46 (FIGS. 1-7,7A) having mating attachment means 48 (see below and FIGS. 10-11).Attachment means 44 may be molded into the shampoo bowl 10 duringmanufacture or otherwise installed thereon as known in the art.Attachment means 44 on the shampoo bowl 10 and mating attachment means48 on the shampooing cape 46 are preferably paired magnet-metal devices,or may be hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO™, or other types ofcomponents that are easily fastenable and unfastenable as is known inthe art.

Shampooing cape 46 is similar to such capes as known in the art, andmade of materials known in the art such as pliable, water-repellant,breathable light nylon, plastic, or plastic-coated fabric and the like.As shown in FIGS. 10-11, shampooing cape 46 has a front portion 50 andtwo back portions 52 that may be fastened together around a neck opening54 by any fastening means 58 known in the art, for example, one or morepaired magnet-metal fasteners or one or more paired hook and loopfasteners, such as VELCRO™ that may be sewn into or otherwise attachedto the cape 46 at the top back neck opening as shown. In the inventionherein, front portion 50 preferably has a front edge 56 that is shapedto fit to the front 18 of the lower basin 12. In the embodiment of thelower basin 12 shown herein, the front edge 56 is straight with matingattachment means 48 along front edge 56. Preferably mating attachmentmeans 48 comprises magnets or other attachment means as known in the artwhich in use fastens to shampoo bowl 10 at attachment means 44 whichcomprises metal or appropriate mating means that is embedded orotherwise affixed to shampoo bowl 10. During shampooing, shampooing cape46 in the preferred embodiment herein covers the person and anadditional cape is not required.

Shampoo bowl 10 is preferably positioned on a cabinet or stand 38 asknown for sinks in the art, except that it is important that stand 38have sufficient room beneath it so that a person sitting in a wheelchaircan be pulled close to the shampooing bowl 10 and the person's face canbe easily positioned over the central opening 32 as shown in FIGS. 8-9.It is also important that the shampoo bowl 10 be positioned at a heightthat is suitable for use as desired, for example at a height so that theshampoo bowl 10 can be easily and comfortably be used by a person in awheelchair.

If shampoo bowl 10 is used by someone other than a person seated in awheelchair, preferably an ergonomic chair or adjustable office chair isused for maximizing comfort of both the person being shampooed and theperson doing the shampooing.

While not part of the invention herein, it is also envisioned thatadditional armrests can be provided on the stand 38 or attached to theshampoo bowl 10 if desired.

While the invention has been described with reference to specificembodiments, it will be appreciated that numerous variations,modifications, and embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all suchvariations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as beingwithin the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1) A bowl for shampooing a person's hair, the bowlcomprising: a lower basin having a front, a rear, two sides, a bottom,an integral upper rim surrounding the lower basin at the top of the rearand sides, and faucet means on the upper rim; wherein the bottom of thelower basin has a drain toward the rear of the lower basin, a faceopening toward the front of the lower basin, and a face cradle gasketsurrounding and above the face-opening, wherein the lower basin isdeeper at the rear than at the front of the lower basin, and wherein thetop of the front of the lower basin has a lowered area that is lowerthan the top of the rear of the lower basin so that the person cancomfortably lean forward over the front and face cradle gasket. 2) Thebowl for shampooing a person's hair of claim 1, further comprisingattachment means at the lowered area for attachment of a shampooing capehaving mating attachment means. 3) The bowl for shampooing a person'shair of claim 2, wherein the attachment means and mating attachmentmeans are selected from the group consisting of magnet-metal fastenersand hook and loop fasteners. 4) The bowl for shampooing a person's hairof claim 1, further comprising an elevated edge around the face-openingand wherein the face cradle gasket has a lower groove that fits over theelevated edge. 5) An apparatus for shampooing a person's hair,comprising the bowl of claim 1 having attachment means at the loweredarea, and a cape having mating attachment means for attaching the capeto the attachment means of the bowl. 6) The apparatus for shampooing aperson's hair of claim 5, wherein the attachment means and matingattachment means are selected from the group consisting of magnet-metalfasteners and hook-loop fasteners.